CV

The Honorable Mark G. Farrell

Amherst Town Court
400 John James Audubon Pkwy.
Amherst, NY 14228
(716) 689-4250 (Chambers)
(716) 565-3176 (Office)
Email: judgefarrell@aol.com

Professional Profile
Related Experience
Qualifications & Certifications
Honors & Awards
Media Appearances
Offices Held
Education
Admittance to Practice
Professional Involvement
Presentations
Publications

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE:

Judge Mark G. Farrell is the Senior Justice of the Amherst Court, the largest local criminal/civil court outside New York City, with a jurisdiction of approximately 125,000 people. He also serves as an acting Buffalo City Court Judge, assisting in the City's Domestic Violence and civil jury trial parts.

A nationally recognized innovator in the practice of Therapeutic Justice, Judge Farrell implemented the first Gambling Treatment Court in the United States in 2001, the first Suburban Drug Court in the United States in 1996, and the first Domestic Violence Court in Erie County, New York, in 1997. Judge Farrell currently teaches a senior practicum in Therapeutic Justice as a full adjunct Professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law and holds a Research Associate Professorship in the School of Social Work at SUNY Buffalo as the Principal Investigator on a 3-year clinical intervention study funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in the area of handling of mentally ill defendants in a Drug Court setting. The endeavor is for purposes of establishing a national protocol in this critical area. Judge Farrell lectures nationally on Drug Court, Co-occurring Disorders and Compulsive Gambling. Judge Farrell is a Diplomate of the National Drug Court Institute and a graduate of the National Judicial College.

RELATED EXPERIENCE:

Prior to his election to the bench in 1993, Judge Farrell practiced as a civil litigator for over 20 years, focusing on the litigation of personal injury actions and, in particular, the defense of medical malpractice, products liability, professional licensure issues and environmental law, during which time he served as the managing partner of a 12-lawyer litigation firm in the City of Buffalo.

In the 1970's, while serving as a Judge Advocate in the United States Air Force Trial Judiciary Division, Judge Farrell acted as both the Southeast Chief Area Defense Counsel and as a Special Courts Martial Military Judge.

Judge Farrell was a candidate for New York State Supreme Court in 1999.

QUALIFICATIONS & CERTIFICATIONS:

• United States District Court for Western District of New York Arbitration and Mediation Member Panel
• New York State Supreme Court - 8th Judicial District Commercial Arbitration and Mediation Panel
• Certified Arbitration and Mediation - American Arbitration Association, Dispute Resolution, Inc.
• National Drug Court Institute, Washington, DC - Certified Drug Treatment Court Judge

HONORS and AWARDS:

• Distinguished Alumnus, University at Buffalo, State University of New York (1989)
• Erie County Coalition Against Domestic Violence Exemplary Service Award (1995)
• Greater Buffalo Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Award (1996)
• Greater Buffalo Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Excellence Award (1996)
• NYS Bar/NYS Educ. Dept./Law Related Educ. Distinguished Service, Award (1996-97)
• Mothers Against Drunk Driving Law Enforcement Recognition Award (1996-97)
• Western N.Y. United Against Drug & Alcohol Abuse, Recognition Award (1997)
• Back to Basics" Outstanding Judicial Service Award for Diversionary Sentencing Initiatives--Buffalo Inner City Ministries Coalition (1997)
• Amherst Youth Board Distinguished Service to Youth Award (1997)
• Amherst Chamber of Commerce "Alpha" Award--Outstanding Community Contributions (1998)
• Diplomate, National Drug Court Institute, (1999)
• Buffalo-Niagara Frontier Safety Council Award of Recognition (1999)
• Hilbert College Distinguished Speakers Forum Award (1999)
• Professional Recognition Award - National Recovery Alliance (2000)
• Elizabeth Connelly Excellence in Government Award-NY Council on Problem Gambling (2002)
• Horizon Health Services "Road to Recovery" Leadership Award (2002)
• New York State Drug Treatment Court Professionals Association Presidential Appreciation Award (2003)
• Jurist of the Year" - Judges & Police Conference of Erie County (2003)
• Abraham Pugash Distinguished Service Award for Excellence in the implementation of the first Compulsive Gambling Treatment Court - Jewish Family Services, Erie County, New York (2003)
• Outstanding Contributor Nationally in the Field of Compulsive Gambling (June 2003) - National Council on Problem Gambling
• Amherst, New York Distinguished Service Award - for Excellence in Statewide Judicial Activities as founder of the First Gambling Court in the United States (Dec 2003)
• New York State Drug Court Treatment Professionals Association - Presidents Service Award (2004)
• Distinguished Achievement Award for Implementation of the First Gambling Treatment Court in the United States, Chautauqua Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Council (2005)
• Amherst "Because I Love You" Parents Support Council "Outstanding and Dedicated Service Achievement Award (2005)
• Town of Amherst Town Board Citation of Honor, May 16, 2005 for work as a Judicial pioneer in the area of Therapeutic Justice Courts.
• "Certificate of Honor" for continued contributions to Scouting - Western New York Boy Scouts of America Council 2005
• "Volunteer Recognition Award" - Amherst Youth Board 2005
• "Good Scout Award" - Boy Scouts of America, Greater Niagara Frontier Chapter, Inc., November 2005
• Amherst Drug Treatment Court, 10th Anniversary Distinguished Achievement Award, April 2006
• Erie County Law Enforcement Foundation, Inc. "Outstanding Performance in Law Enforcement Award" (November 2006)
• Designated Who's Who in American Law (2007)

MEDIA APPEARANCES:

• Court TV - Al Roker Investigates: Kids, Cards and Dice, December 8, 2005 [Click HERE to view this video]
• WBEN Radio - Justice Penny Wolfgang: January 98, 2006: Discussing "The Alternative of Gambling Treatment Court
• WNED-AM 970 - Law Line call-in radio series -- "Gambling Treatment Court", Justice Penny Wolfgang, February 18, 2006
• Adelphia Cable Television Broadcast on "Gambling Treatment Court and Other Therapeutic Interventions" - Justice Penny Wolfgang, March 2006
• WGRZ TV - Kid's Escaping Drugs Telethon, April 2, 2006

OFFICES HELD:

• Special Commission on the Future of the Courts in New York State (Dunne Commission) - Commission Member (2006)
• New York State Supreme Court Eighth Judicial District Town & Village Court Action Plan Advisory Group - Appointed Member( 2006)
• New York State Magistrates Association - President (Member - Executive Committee) 2007-2008
• American Board of Trial Advocates, Buffalo Chapter - President (January 2006 - present)
• American Board of Trial Advocates, Buffalo Chapter - Secretary (2000 - 2002)
• National Council on Compulsive Gambling -National Board of Directors (2005 - present)
• New York State Council on Compulsive Gambling - Board of Directors (2005 - present)
• Amherst Justice - Amherst, New York (1993-present)
• Buffalo City Court Judge - Buffalo, New York, Acting (2001-present)
• Village Justice, Village of Williamsville, New York (July 2001-September 2002)
• NY State Association of Drug Court Treatment Professionals (Secretary) (2001-2005), (Director) (2001 - present)
• New York State Magistrates Association Liaison to Deputy Administrative Judge for State of New York for Drug Courts, (2001-present)
• Drug Court Liaison, Erie County Magistrates Association, (2001-present)
• Chairman, Amherst (NY) Board of Ethics (1992-93)
• American Inns of Court, Buffalo Chapter (Treasurer) 2000-2001
• Western NY Defense Trial Lawyers Association (Past President) 1986-88
• Judges and Police Conference of Erie County (2nd Vice President) 2001-2004
• Judges and Police Conference of Erie County (Director 2004 - present)
• New York State Unified Court System -- Local Criminal Courts Advisory Committee

EDUCATION:

• J.D. with Honors, 1972 - State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law
• B.A. with Honors, 1969 - State University of New York at Buffalo
• Alumnus- National Judicial College, University of Nevada - Reno - Certificate Candidate in Judicial Development Studies Program
• National Drug Court Institute - Georgetown University, 1999

ADMITTED TO PRACTICE:

• State of New York
• Commonwealth of Massachusetts
• United States Supreme Court
• United States District Court for the Western District of New York
• United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• United States Court of Military Appeals
• United States Court of Claims
• United States Tax Court
• United States Bankruptcy Court - Western District of New York

PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT:

• New York State Council of Judicial Organization
• National Association of Compulsive Gambling - Executive Committee Member
• American Bar Association - Special Court Section/Judicial Division
• New York State Bar Association
• Erie County Bar Association
• International Association of Defense Counsel
• Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
• American Board of Trial Advocates
• American Inns of Court - Master of the Bench - Member Board of Directors Western New York State Chapter
• Harvard University - Certified as Advocacy Instructor 1987-1992
• Defense Counsel Trial Academy for the International Association of Defense Counsel - Faculty Member 1992
• Western New York Trial Lawyers Association (Past Director)
• Erie County Council for the Prevention of Alcohol and Substance Abuse, Board of Directors (1996 to present)
• Erie County Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse, Board of Directors (1996 to present)
• Convener, Amherst Multiple School District Steering Committee (re:  New York State Violence in the Schools Legislation)
• Foundation of International Association of Defense Counsel (Member, Board of Directors) 1989-1995
• Amherst Business & Community Coalition Against Substance Abuse (General Committee Chair)
• Erie County Coalition Against Domestic Violence
• Old Fort Niagara, Board of Directors (199_ -2007)
• American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics
• Defense Research Institute
• Williamsville Central School District Wellness Committee (1996-present)
• Williamsville Rotary Club, 1995-present
• Founder, Amherst Judge Alternative Sentencing Program (1994)
• Buffalo FBI Citizens Academy Foundation (Vice President, Board of Directors, 2001-2007)
• University at Buffalo Athletic Advisory Council, 1996-2000
• University at Buffalo (Law School Alumni Association, Past President 1992-93 and
• University at Buffalo General Alumni, Past President 1983-84)
• Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital (Board of Directors), 1999-2001
• Buffalo State College, Criminal Justice Department (Exec.  Advisory Council), 2000
• Kaleida Health Care System (Trustee Council), 2000-present)
• Adjunct Clinical Professor, School of Law, University at Buffalo, State University of New York (January 2001-present).  Clinical teaching responsibilities with regard to the subjects of Therapeutic Diversionary Courts:  Drug Rehabilitation, Domestic Violence, Gambling, and Mental Health Courts.  Conducted first drug court session in a law school in the U.S., November 2002 
• Research Associate Professor, School of Social Work, State University of New York at Buffalo (July 2005 - present).  Clinical teaching and research responsibilities, as Principal Investigator, with regard to the pursuit of a three year clinical intervention study funded and sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to analyze the identification and handling of mentally ill defendants who are also drug and/or alcohol impaired in a Drug Court setting.  Manages 8 person research staff.
• Private Practice Law Offices of Mark G. Farrell and Associates - representinghealth care professionals with drug, alcohol and mental impairments before the Board for Professional Medical Conduct of the New York State Department of Health (licensure suspension/revocation issues); extensive litigation experience in areas of medical malpractice, products liability, professional ethics; certified arbitrator and mediator with local, regional, and statewide assignments also privately retained and agency assigned.

PRESENTATIONS:

• Keynote speaker - "Innovations in Public Policy; Gambling Court and the Iowa Gambling Treatment Program" - 8th Annual National Center for Responsible Gaming Conference on Gambling And Addiction "Responsible Gaming, Regulation and Recovery: Testing Conventional Wisdom", November 11-13, 2007, Las Vegas, NV
• Keynote Speaker - Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling Annual Conference, Westbrook, CT, November 9, 2007
• Gateway-Longview Foundation, Creating Positive Outcomes - "Therapeutic Courts - A work in progress to facilitate positive outcomes for youth in the Justice System", Hyatt Regency, Buffalo, October 15, 2007
• Alternatives to Incarceration Board, Hon. Penny Wolfgang, October 12, 2007
• Plenary Speaker and Panel Member "Sixth Annual New York Gaming Summit on Gambling Treatment Court and The Spitzer Effect:  The New Politics of Gaming in New York", Seneca Niagara Casino, June 21, 2007
• Speaker - Erie Institute of Law Survival Strategies for Life After Law School  2007 - presentation on "Town Practice", April 26, 2007
• Keynote Speaker and Workshop moderator "The Gambling Treatment Court Experience - A Work In Progress" Ninth Annual Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling Statewide Conference, Green Lake, Wisconsin - March 22-23, 2007
• Appellate Judging Official - Herbert Wechsler National Criminal Law Moot Court Competition, Buffalo, New York March 2007
• Guest Speaker, Twentieth Century Club of Buffalo, "Gambling - A Work in Progress", March 2007
• Presentation at 7th Annual New York State Drug Court Treatment Professionals Conference, Topic: "What Drug and Alcohol Practitioners Should Know About Compulsive Gambling", Buffalo, New York, March 2007
• Keynote Presentation to the Western New York Chapter of Labor Assistance Professionals, Nov. 16, 2006
• Presenter - "Advanced Strategies in Handling DWI & DUI Cases", Lorman Education Services, Buffalo, NY July 14, 2006
• Keynote Address - National Judges Association Annual Meeting, Holiday Inn Select, Niagara Falls, New York, May 22, 2006
• Keynote speaker - 13th International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking sponsored by the University of Nevada and The Institute for the Study of Gambling & Commercial Gaming, Lake Tahoe, NV May 22-26, 2006
• Keynote speaker - District-wide Rotary Conference of Western New York "Social Issue Awareness", May 15, 2006
• Speaker -- 8th Annual New York State Drug Treatment Court Professionals Association Meeting "Practical Challenges and Implications of Suburban Drug Courts", May 22, 2006
• Speaker - Erie Institute of Law Survival Strategies for Life After Law School 2006 - presentation on "Town Practice", April 3, 2006
• Presenter - "Strategies in Handling DWI & DUI Cases", Lorman Education Services, Buffalo, NY March 2006
• "Therapeutic Courts and Innovative Judicial Process", presentation to the Western New York Chapter Labor Assistance Professionals, November 16, 2005
• "Therapeutic Courts - The Advent of Youth Gambling in Schools", presentation to the Western New York Women in Administration, November 15, 2005
• Keynote panel participant - "2005 Cancer Symposium: Family History of Cancer, Indications for Genetic Counseling and Testing, and your Role" sponsored by the Medical Society of Delaware and Christiana Care Health System, Du Pont Conference Center, Wilmington, Delaware October 19, 2005
• Participant and presenter - New York Council on Problem Gambling's Seventh annual symposium "Solutions 2005"
• Keynote Speaker - Western New York Eagle Court of Honor, June 13, 2005
• Keynote Speaker - Amherst Central High School, National Honor Society Induction Ceremony, Amherst, New York, May 2005
• Keynote Speaker - Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, Inc., Think Tank "Problem Gambling and Crime:  Impacts and Solutions", Orlando, Florida, May 2005
• Presenter - Survival Strategies for Life After Law School - "Town Practice", Bar Association of Erie County, Buffalo, New York, April 2005
• Presenter - Responsible Retail Forum, Sponsored by Florida State University and Brandeis University, entitled "Encouraging Judicial Involvement in the Underage Sales Enforcement", Santa Fe, NM March 2005
• Presenter - "Implications and Ramifications of the Implementation of the First Gambling Treatment Court in the United States", Chautauqua Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Council, Jamestown Community College, March 2005
• Presenter - "Strategies in Handling DWI & DUI Cases", Lorman Education Services, Buffalo, NY March 2005
• Panel discussion leader "Problem Gambling: A Community Concern" - UB School of Social Work, Buffalo, New York, November 2004
• Keynote speaker, Topic of Ethics in Arbitration presented to the University at Buffalo Law Alumni Association's "Gold Group" (graduates in the last decade), Buffalo, New York 2004
• Speaker - General Overview and Explanation of Therapeutic Justice Courts in the Town of Amherst - Phi Beta Kappa, Western New York Association Chapter, October 6, 2004
• Keynote speaker Multi-State Compulsive Gambling Strategy Meeting, sponsored by the State of Nebraska Compulsive Gambling Council, March 2004
• Keynote speaker Annual Conference of Compulsive Gambling for the State of Ohio, March 2004
• Presenter - "Strategies in Handling DWI & DUI Cases", Lorman Education Services, Buffalo, NY March 2004
• Presenter - Annual Meeting of National Association of Drug Treatment Court Professionals Dispute Resolutions within context of Therapeutic Justice Court, Reno, Nevada 2004
• Keynote Address: Annual Meeting National Council of Compulsive Gambling, "Reflections on the Implementation of and Outcomes from the First Gambling Treatment Court in the United States - The Amherst Experience", Louisville, Kentucky, June 2003
• Presenter - "Survival Strategies for Life After Law School Program", Bar Association of Erie County, Buffalo, New York April 2003
• Presenter -
• "Implementation of Gambling Treatment Courts: Following the Therapeutic Justice Model" - Compulsive Gambling Councils in California, Indiana, Illinois, New York, and Florida, (2002)
• "The Anatomy and Benefits of Drug Treatment Courts" presentation to a working coalition of anti-drug activists in the British Island of Tortola, January 2001, participation in a formative committee to establish a drug treatment court in the British Virgin Islands, 2002)
• "Sanctions in Drug Court" -- The National Drug Court Institute at George Washington University, Washington, D.C., 1999
• Keynote Address: Gambling Addiction responses in the Courts, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, September 2003
• Panel discussion leader and presenter at the New York State Drug Treatment Court Professionals Association (annual meetings in Saratoga Springs, New York, in 2000, 2001, 2002) on Drug Treatment Court operations
• Strategies In Handling DWI and DUI Cases in New York, Buffalo New York, March 2003
• Presentation of Practice and Procedure in Justice Court 3-day seminar sponsored by the Erie County Bar Association "Survival Strategies after Law School" Buffalo, New York, May 2003
• Presentations at Western New York Retirement Facilities Re: Therapeutic Justice Courts in Amherst, New York, November 2003
• D'Youville College Presentation on Therapeutic Justice to graduate epidemiology course, Buffalo New York, November 2003
• Illinois Council on Problem Gambling - "Establishing Gambling Courts", Chicago, Illinois December 2002
• Key Note Speaker - "Problem Gambling and the Legal System", New York Council on Problem Gambling, Inc., Albany, New York, October 2002
• Presenter - California Council on Problem Gambling - "Gambling Court Seminar", Costa Mesa, California September 2002
• Presenter - 3rd Annual Indiana Conference on Problem Gambling, Indianapolis, Indiana, July 2002
• "The Analysis of Sanctions and Rewards within a Drug Court Context," co-presenter with Judge Mark Violante, Chief Judge of Niagara Falls City Court, at the annual meeting of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, Washington, D.C., June 2002
• Presenter - Sixth Annual Niagara University Criminal Justice Program - "The Foundations for an Implementation of Gambling Treatment Court in the Judicial System: An Amherst Experience" - April 2002
• "Meet the Professor" Grand Rounds, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York, "Ethical and Legal Issues in Clinical Research and Testing in the Genetics Arena," May 2000
• Grand Rounds, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, "Genetic Testing and Discrimination: An Unresolved Legal and Social Dilemma," March 1999
• "Diversionary Courts in the Criminal Justice System" - The Erie County Bar Association, Criminal Justice Seminar, 2001
• Presentations on Drug Courts to area Rotary clubs, Kiwanis clubs, and Western New York high schools, 1997-present

PUBLICATIONS:

• Farrell, Mark G., Procedural Issues Unique to a Products Liability Lawsuit: Collateral Estoppel, Statute of Limitations and Jurisdiction, Products Liability in New York, Strategy and Practice, NY State Bar Association, pp. 175-206, 1997
• Farrell, Mark G., Procedural Issues Unique to a Products Liability Lawsuit: Collateral Estoppel, Statute of Limitations and Jurisdiction, Products Liability in New York, Strategy and Practice, NY State Bar Association, pp. 57-62, 2002 Supplement
• Weitzel, J. A., Nochajski, T. H., Coffey, S., Farrell, M. G.2007. Mental health among suburban drug court participants. In press (33:3). The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse.

Poster Presentations:

Farrell, M.G., Nochajski, T.H., Aungst, J. (2005 November). Characteristics of Drug Court participants with additional mental health problems. Poster presentation at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Substance Abuse Policy and Research Project Annual Meeting, Tucson, Arizona

Aungst, J., Nochajski, T.H., Farrell,M.G. (2006 June).  Assessing Mental Health in a Drug Court. Poster presentation at the 29th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, Baltimore, MD

Aungst, J.C., Nochajski, T.H., and Farrell, M.G. (2006). Assessing mental health in a drug court. [Abstract]. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 30(6), Supplement, P610.

Farrell, M.G., Aungst Weitzel, J., Nochajski, T.H. (2006, November).  Extending the Therapeutic Justice Model to problem gamblers. Poster presentation at the 2006 Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association, Boston, MA

Farrell, M.G., Aungst-Weitzel, J., Nochajski, T.H. (2006, November). Improving Identification Treatment of Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Illness in Therapeutic Justice Courts. Poster presentation at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Substance Abuse Policy and Research Project Annual Meeting, Hilton Head, SC.

Papers:

Farrell, Mark G., Drug Courts: A Progressive Option In Our Current Criminal Justice System, Bar Association of Erie County Bulletin, Fall 1999

Farrell, Mark G., "Reflections on the Implementation of and Outcomes from the First Gambling Treatment Court in the United States - The Amherst Experience", Louisville, Kentucky

Contributor and resources presenter - "Problem Gambling and Crime: Impacts and Solutions" - A Proceedings Report on the National Think Tank. Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, Inc, University of Florida Frederick G. Levin College of Law .

Digests on Drug Court Operations provided to:

Mothers Against Drunk Driving of Erie County, New York
Probation Officers Association of Erie County, New York
Erie County Bar Association
New York State Bar Association
National Association of Drug Court Professionals
Rotary Clubs - Western New York State

Transcripts of presentations published in the Compulsive Gambling Council's monthly newsletters:
California, Indiana, Illinois, New York, Florida, New Jersey

Digests on Gambling Court Operations provided to:

Niagara Falls Gazette
Albany Times Union
Buffalo News

• Professional accomplishments highlighted in feature articles in :

The New York Times, May1, 2007 Front Page Feature Article "New York Gambling Treatment Court Stresses Help"
The Meadville (Pennsylvania) Tribune -- "Casino Gambling and Its Effects on the Community"
The Albany Times Union
The Washington Post
The Buffalo News
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
The Las Vegas Times
Buffalo Law Journal

• Featured participant in one hour documentary to be shown on national Court TV (Nov. 2005) - on the subject of juvenile gambling issues hosted by Al Roker [Click HERE to view this video]